Первая Конная (1984)
Pervaya konnaya 1984. I have now seen this Mosfilms epic. It is stunning. OK the talking bits being in Russian and no subtitles are a bit confusing and boring but the plot is basically the lives of several men and women of Budyenny's First Horse Army. It ends in a colossal battle with flying Cossacks, tachankas, everything - very large and what you expect from a Soviet era historical film and worth sitting through the dull bits for. You may wince at the amount of carnage meted out to the poor stuntmen and horses but this omelette was worth breaking a few eggs for. The music is strange - kind of 80s synth - like the sort of music you get in European horror movies but it does not jar too much. The cinematography is fiirst rate with the dusty columns, nurses bathing, and waves of Cossacks - all having a beautiful wistful look. The actor playing Budyenny
Vadim Spiridonov has a striking moustache and persona fitting for a hero of the Revolution and the historical detail seems good to me though I'm not an expert in this field. All in all if you are a Red Cavalry fan - get this movie pronto.
Первая Конная (1984) Pervaya konnaya 1984. I have now seen this Mosfilms epic. It is stunning. OK the talking bits being in Russian and no subtitles are a bit confusing and boring but the plot is basically the lives of several men and women of Budyenny's First Horse Army. It ends in a colossal battle with flying Cossacks, tachankas, everything - very large and what you expect from a Soviet era historical film and worth sitting through the dull bits for. You may wince at the amount of carnage meted out to the poor stuntmen and horses but this omelette was worth breaking a few eggs for. The music is strange - kind of 80s synth - like the sort of music you get in European horror movies but it does not jar too much. The cinematography is fiirst rate with the dusty columns, nurses bathing, and waves of Cossacks - all having a beautiful wistful look. The actor playing Budyenny Vadim Spiridonov has a striking moustache and persona fitting for a hero of the Revolution and the historical detail seems good to me though I'm not an expert in this field. All in all if you are a Red Cavalry fan - get this movie pronto.
